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Senator: Pot decriminalization law still needs work

While Maryland's new law decriminalizing marijuana went into effect Wednesday morning, those behind the law said there are still some loopholes and modifications that will need to be worked out. Kai Reed has more.

While Maryland's new law decriminalizing marijuana went into effect Wednesday morning, those behind the law said there are still some loopholes and modifications that will need to be worked out. Kai Reed has more.

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Updated: 8:10 AM EDT Oct 1, 2014

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WEBVTT LIVE IN SOUTHEAST BALTIMORE, GEORGE LETTIS, WBAL-TV 11 NEWS. BEING CAUGHT WITH LESS MARIJUANA STARTING AT MIDNIGHT PUN -- KAI REED IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM WITH MORE ON THE STORY. MARYLAND WILL BECOME ONE OF 19 STATES THAT HAVE DECRIMINALIZED A SMALL AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA. IT'S STILL ILLEGAL BUT AS OF TOMORROW THE PUNISHMENT WILL CHANGE. 10 GRAMS. THE DECRIMINALIZATION LAW GOES INTO EFFECT WEDNESDAY. AS OF NOW IT'S A CIVIL OFFENSE. THE SENATOR EXPLAINS THERE'S DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT WHEN LAWMAKERS HEAD BACK TO ANNAPOLIS. ANY MARIJUANA TONIGHT? GETTING CAUGHT WITH LESS THAN 10 GRAMS OF POT IS A CIVIL OFFENDER. GETTING CAUGHT WITH A PIPE WILL GET YOU SLAPPED WITH CRIMINAL CHARGES. SENATOR ZER KIN SAYS THE PARAPHERNALIA LOOP HOLLYWOOD WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED ALONG THE-W OTHER MOD 23I INDICATIONS. YOU DON'T WANT ANYONE SMOKING AROUND SCHOOLS OR PARKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE LAST BILL WAS SILET ON THAT. MANY SUPPORTERS OF THE DECRIMINALIZATION BILL ARE SINGING ITS PRAISES BUT HOPING IT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THE OVERALL LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA. DOES THIS POSSIBLY CLEAR A PATH TOWARD LEGALIZATION? OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE IN THE SAME SPHERE, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT ISSUES. WITH LEGALIZATION WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF IT FOR THE TIME BEING AND THE EFFECTS OF IT ARE NOT QUITE CLEAR YET, SO AS A RESPONSIBLE LEGISLATURE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO. I THINK THAT'S SAFE TO SAY. IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT. SOME OPPOSED THE LEGALIZATION FROM THE BEGINNING. SHELLENBERGER SAYS HE'S NOT SURE THAT THE NEXT STEP WILL BE LEGALIZATION. I KNOW THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB WITH THE LAW THAT WE PASSED. FOR INSTANCE, IN SOME OF THE STATES THAT HAVE DECRIMINALIZED, IT'S ILLEGAL TO SMOKE IN PUBLIC. WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A DEBATE NOT TO LET PEOPLE SMOKE ON THE BEACHES. YET WE MIGHT BE STEPS AWAY FROM HAVING PEOPLE SMOKING MARIJUANA. I THINK THAT'S A MIXED MESSAGE TO STONED OUR CHILDREN. UNDER THE NEW LAW, $2 50 FOR A SECOND OFFENSE AND $500 FOR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES. OTHERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ENTER

Senator: Pot decriminalization law still needs work

While Maryland's new law decriminalizing marijuana went into effect Wednesday morning, those behind the law said there are still some loopholes and modifications that will need to be worked out. Kai Reed has more.